Help get Andreas into the Oscars' memorial reel

[AmyG]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the Oscar awards on March 5. At every Oscar awards ceremony, they show a short film of people in the industry who have passed on since the last Oscars. This reel isn't just for big-name stars: they often highlight the careers of lesser-known character actors, as well as technical people (like makeup professionals, cameramen, etc.).

And they often include people who have very recently passed, which means they have the ability to add footage to the memorial reel very close to the broadcast date.

I wrote to the Academy last week asking if Andreas was going to be included in the memorial reel, and haven't had a reply. Someone on the moderated newsgroup had the wonderful idea that we should make sure that the Academy knows about Andreas's death, and that he's someone worthy of being honored therein.

You can write to the Academy through this form on their website:

http://www.oscars.org/contact/general.html

My suggestion is that you do not emphasize his role as G'Kar, as that is connected to a television show, and the Academy is all about film. Instead, remind them that Andreas was well known for playing "bad guys" or "heavies," like the one-armed man from "The Fugitive," but also in "Executive Decision," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "The Sicilian," etc. etc. You can find a list of his film credits here:

http://imdb.com/name/nm0441537/

Remember, stress the film roles. Particularly the big ones, the classic and/or blockbuster films, which I've listed above.

You might say something like "I've just heard about the death of Andreas Katsulas, who was a great character actor, often in the role of the bad guy, and who brought wonderful subtlety to all of his roles. I have fond memories of him playing the one-armed man in "The Fugitive," but also of seeing him show up in numerous other great films like "Executive Decision" and "The Sicilian." I hope you're going to include him in the memorial film you show at the Oscars - he's a real loss to the film community."

I think it would be a really nice tribute to Andreas to see his face up there on the screen at the Academy, being broadcast to millions of homes, and to know that the biggest stars in Hollywood today - and those watching them - are remembering him.

[Stunning_in_Purple]

I think it would be important also to realize that if people e-mail/mail bomb them, all they're going to do is chunk them and not bother to look. Send your requests responsibly.

[AmyG]

Stunning_in_Purple, I don't actually think that we're going to convince the Academy with our letters; the point is really just to make sure that the relevant people there are aware of Andreas's death. Since his obituary appeared in his hometown paper (and not the LA Times), it might take the people in Hollywood a little longer to actually find out that he's passed. If they get enough e-mails with his name in them, the clerical staff at the Academy who reads the comments from the website might actually see fit to pass the information along. I'm reasonably sure that if the right people there know about this, there's no question that they'd include Andreas, if for no other reason than the role that brought him his highest level of fame/notoriety: the one-armed man in one of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters, "The Fugitive." But in order to add him to the clip reel, they first have to know that he's passed.

To those who don't have a lot of time, I suggest something simple like "Is Andreas Katsulas going to be in the memorial reel at this year's Oscars?"

[frulad]

Amy, that's a great idea! I've had friends over to watch the Oscars for the past seven or eight years and invariably there's a "How come they didn't mention so and so?" during those pieces. It would be great of AK could be acknowledged that way.

However, due the sheer number of passings in a year- I know I wrote 100 obits for my website for calender year 2005 - there's no way that the Academy can get everyone in. Also, I'm trying to remember if those pieces are for the Calender year 2005, or for those who passed between ceremonies (March 2005 to March 2006)...

[cornholio1980]

I think this is a great idea. I watch the Oscars live every year, and it would be great to see a tribute for Andreas. I already wrote them, and hope that it will help...

[Stunning_in_Purple]

Does anybody know when the Oscars are? My hubby and I don't watch TV so we're kinda clueless.

[Spoo Junky]

This Sunday night, March 5.

[AmyG]

Following up on this matter:

Thanks very much to all who posted comments to the Academy on Andreas's behalf. I telephoned them today to see how we were doing, and found out that, alas, there was a February 1st deadline for submissions for the memorial reel. Any Academy member who passed after February 1, 2006, is eligible to be in _next_ year's memorial reel.

However, this effort was definitely not in vain; the Academy really does start planning for these things as soon as the current Oscars are finished, and so now they are well and truly informed about the fact that Andreas Katsulas has a large and loyal fanbase who is interested to see him represented in the memorial reel next year. Also, I was able to provide them with information they needed about how to contact his agent, which will allow them to verify the dates and details of his death, and obtain stills to be used in the reel.

Thanks again, so very much, and I hope our efforts have guaranteed that we'll be seeing Andreas's face up on the Academy screen in 2007.

[Satai Delenn]

I watched the academy ceremony over trekkbbs.com where I type over there .Some of the posters said that when Defrost Kelley died he wasn't in the following years reel and neither was James Doohan and I think he left us in August so there was no reason he should not have been in there.I am afraid I don't hold out much hope for Andreas either what is it with the academy do you have to be an A list star to get a final nod by your fellow actors and a final goodbye from us fans this makes me mad .

[frulad]

Any Academy member who passed after February 1, 2006, is eligible to be in _next_ year's memorial reel.

Was Andreas even an Academy member?

[AmyG]

frulad, Andreas was in so many films it's highly unlikely that he wasn't an Academy member.

And, Satai Delenn, I tried to explain this to the people over at Trek BBS but they apparently could not hear (read) me. The Academy is very, very big. Members include actors, directors, cameramen, makeup artists, and all the artistic and technical craftspeople I didn't mention. Many, many people die every year.

If you died, do you think that your college newsletter would automatically publish that fact? How would they find out? By osmosis, or telepathy? No, someone would have to inform them of your death. It's the same with the Academy.

To us, these people are the most important people in the world. In the places where we hang out, we hear about their deaths, because they matter so much in the circles where we travel.

The people who work at the Academy, and who hire filmmakers to create the memorial reel, are just people. Clerical staff. With lives, and their own interests. Who do not spend every day reading the LA Times obituaries, because the memorial reel is probably only one aspect of their jobs. And, if they're not huge science fiction fans, they might very well miss the fact that DeForrest Kelley died, or James Doohan, or Andreas Katsulas. That's why I wanted to make a point of informing them of Andreas's death.

It's most likely not a slight if they left someone out. It's someone's responsibility - the family, the agent, maybe a close friend - to inform the Academy that this or that Academy member has passed, and could the Academy please consider them for inclusion in the memorial reel. And you know, some families might not want their family member included, for whatever reason.

If you watched last night, then you know that it is not just A-listers who make it onto the reel - it's actors from all over the spectrum, and directors, and cameramen, and makeup artists, etc. etc. So if they have left someone out, it isn't necessarily a slam. Knowing how the Academy works, I'd be surprised if they leave any member out whose family or agent submits them for the reel. Certainly someone of the stature of an actor from Star Trek would probably not be overlooked because they were less famous than someone else, or time constraints. That's a fairly long-running franchise, and big enough in the public consciousness that non-sf fans would recognize them. In Andreas's case, he has the distinction of being a well known film bad guy, and he was in one of the hugest blockbusters of the 90s ("The Fugitive"). So I don't think they'll balk at including him. At least, I hope not. We'll see next March.